The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-09-25

chains. Inc man Appeared Wnnntormou INTO
an oppressed. hesrt-broken. and hopeless felon.
After remaining in this posture OF humili-
alton long enough TO impress the imagina-
ton with the condition OF the colony under
the iron heel OF military deapotism. he arose
proudly and exclaimed. but a. for me-and
the words Missed through his clenched tooth.
while his body was thrown back. and every
muscle and tendon was strained against the
letters which bound him. and, with his coun-
tenence distorted by agony and rage, he
looked for moment like LAGOON In death
struggle with coillng serpents-the words.
I say. wero pealed forth In loud. clear.
triumphant notes. give me liberty electri-
flying the assembly. II was not prayer.
but stern demand. which would submit to no
refusal or delay. The sound Of his voice a. he
spoke these memorable words was like that OF
q Spartan pean on tho field Of PlatHa; and. as
each syllable OF tho word liberty echoed
through the building. his letters werc shivered !;
his arms were hurled apart and the links OF
his chains were scattered to the winds When
he spoke tho word liberty with an emphasis
never given It before. his hands wore open and
his arms elevated and extended: his ccunso-
nance was radiant: he stood erect and defiant;
while the sound Of his voice and the sublimity
Of his attitude mado him appear magnificent
that can be acquired or enjoyed BY nations
and individuals invincible and free. After
momentary pause only long enough to permit
the echo OF the word liberty to cease. he let
his left hand fall powerlees to his side. and
clenched his right hand firmly. ~ II holding Q
dagger with the point aimed at his breast He
stood like q Roman Senator defying Cesar.
while the unconquerable spirit Of Cato Of Utica
flashed from every feature. and he closed tho
grand appeal with the solemn words, or give
me deathl' which sounded with tho awful
cadence Of q hero's dirge, fearless OF death.
and victorious in death. and he suited the ac-
ton to the word by blow upon tho left breast
with tho right hand. which seemed to drive tho
dagger to the patriots heart"
With regard to the last tventy-four years OF
Patrick Henry's liie-he did not live to an ad-
vanced age. for he was but 6S yesrs old when
he died in 1799-there 10 less misconceptton.
It Is we'll known that he was the first Governor
OF Virginia after tho colonys assertion Of its
independence. and how grateful were his fol-
low citizens for tho services no rendered In
that capacity. Ia attestsd BY his reelection for
the two succeeding terma He was made o
fourth and fifth time Governor for the two
years beginning In November. 1854. and he
refused . sixth election. which would have
been unanimously offered him. It IL we'll
known, too. that after there was reason to fear
that the interests Of the Southern States
would be sacrificed By the concession Of
exclusive jurisdiction over the Mississippi
River to Spain. he doubted the e1pediency
Of supersedinR the articles OF confederation
By a stronger bond Of union. and re-
fused to be delegate to the Philadelphia Con-
vention which framed the Constitution. 1t is
also we'll known that for almost q month In
the Virginia Convention he bore the brunt
Of battle against tho majority. who wished that
Constitution to be accepted BY the State.
But it is too often overlooked with the result
that his course at q subsequent epoch OF ferce
political excitement was then and hns been
since misjudged. that when tho fight In the
Virginia Convention was well-nigh over. and
Patrick Henry saw that his defeat was
inevitable he affirmed his resolution to
support with steadfast loyalty tho organic
law adopted By his fellow citizens. and to
seek redress or emendation In constitutional
ways only; to him in fact We owe. more than to
any other man, the drst tan amendments OF
the Constitution embodying what he believed
to be an indispensable declaration Of the rights
reserved to the people. and inalienable.
But neither Jefferson nor Madison could ever
forgive him because at the crisis Of contention
between INC JOURNALISTS ouu tuo DctuOStdtlC
Republicans he chose to side with Washing
ton rather than with Jefferson. insisted that
agitation against the alien and sedition laws
should be confined to constitutional channels.
and refused to raise his voice for the right Of
secession. asserted In the Kentucky and yir-
ginia resolutions Indeed. tho last time
that he was heard in public was when. month
or two before he died, no addressed
the voters OF his district as . candidate for o
seat in the Legislature. to which he was tri-
umphantly returned. In this. the last speech
OF his life. he appeared As the flrm upholder OF
tho Union and the Constitution. against which.
while protest WAS still lawful. he had as stead
lastly protested. 1t is not the least Of the
merits OF this admirable book that it vindicates
this eliminating act Of Patrick Henry's life
from the reproach Of which 1t has often boon
the object. and shows 1t to have been due to no
judgment-warping jealousy OF younger men.
to no senile deterioration OF the intellect. but
to the mans unfaltering resolve to keep the
pledge Of fidelity he made in the Virginia Con-
vention. which. against his own advice. decided
to approve of the Federal Constitution.
Mw.H.
The Translatsr sf Oaar KAayyan.
The MANY American readera of thu Iafe